Lifesaving innovation inspired by workplace drownings

Students at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), who were inspired by a double workplace tragedy, have won a top innovation award for inventing a lifesaving device to prevent workers from getting trapped underwater and drowning.

The students said they hope their HydroFLOcean device will ensure the tragedy in Limerick last year can never happen again.

TJ O’Herlihy and Bryan Whelan died after their work platform collapsed as they were carrying out maintenance works on Thomond Bridge and plunged into the River Shannon in August 2015. They were unable to free themselves from their harnesses and they drowned still tethered to the platform.